Copyright Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. --When Westerleigh resident Patricia Brooks, 70, found mounds of groceries on her doorstep after a story in the Advance/SILive.com detailed her struggle to buy food during the U.S. government shutdown, she was overcome with emotion. Brooks is one of 42 million Americans who receive benefits from the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. For her, that’s just a little over $200 per month. And with the government shutdown, payments have been cut and delayed, making it nearly impossible to feed both herself and her 9-year-old rescue feline, Sampson. “I was overwhelmed, to say the least! I feel so blessed,” said Brooks. “So many friends have reached out. It’s incredible. My refrigerator is full.” Community reaches out Immediately following the story’s posting on Nov. 4, Brooks said people dropped off goods on her doorstep, reached out to her via Facebook, and she even received Amazon Fresh deliveries with a bevy of goods, from pasta and rice, to fish and fruit, including her favorite -- oranges. Rochester resident Jeremy Zenkar went so far to set up a GoFundMe for Brooks, which by Thursday had raised over $1,000. He admitted he never met Brooks, but after seeing the story on Reddit, he remembered her being a frequent guest on the Opie and Anthony show 20 years ago. “I wanted to say that Patty is a person who’s done it right by societal norms. She worked hard all her life, retired and did the right thing. There’s a stigma behind people who are on SNAP benefits and [her situation] goes to show you that it’s a wide range of people on SNAP who are doing what they can just to survive and live their lives,” said Zenkar. He was especially touched by Brooks’ story since he was once in her situation. “I’m a person who grew up with a single mom who went to school and was working several jobs. We were on food assistance when I was younger. So I know what it’s like... I figure, if I can help someone out, then I will,” Zenkar added. Brooks said she was alerted to the GoFundMe through a friend on Facebook. “I was very surprised when I found out,” she said. “All the generosity is so beautiful and nice...it’s so nice for people to care about each other.” Some Islanders reached out to the Advance/SILive.com to offer assistance to Brooks. “Patty is an example of what so many people are dealing with now with the government shutdown,” said Annette Angiuli, who was a classmate of Brooks at the former St. Peter’s Girls High School. “Patty has been a citizen of our community for a very long time, and she’s a strong willed example of people who need help. Many of her St. Peter’s classmates have risen to the occasion to help her.” A St. George resident who donated money via the GoFundMe said: “Knowing someone has worked hard in their life and now in retirement is going hungry is sad, and I also like to help animals, especially cats.” Another Islander who contacted the Advance/SIlive.com said she saw Brooks’ story and felt she wanted to help a neighbor in need. “I want to help because her story could be any one of us. There are so many people in our community who have a hard time feeding themselves, their families and pets on a regular basis. It’s a shame,” she said. In addition to donations and people reaching out in the community, other media outlets who saw the SILive.com story reached out to Brooks, she said. Brooks’ situation After working her whole life in fast food and chain shops, including Starbucks and McDonald’s, Brooks retired eight years ago. She lives on her $1,087 Social Security benefits, which after the rent share for her Section 8 apartment -- a federal housing assistance program -- and bills, leaves her with only about $20 per month. That doesn’t cut it, so she relies on SNAP to survive. Each month, Brooks is careful she doesn’t run out of the necessities -- milk, bread and butter. But with the government shutdown and reduced and delayed SNAP benefits, she’s not sure she’ll even have those food items this month. SNAP delays The Trump administration had announced earlier this week that it would only partially fund SNAP following court rulings mandating its continuation, despite an earlier plan by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to halt payments due to the government shutdown, the Associated Press reported. However, late Thursday, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration “to find the money to fully fund SNAP benefits for November,” reported the Associated Press. The Trump administration quickly appealed the decision. The ruling gave the Trump’ administration until Friday to make SNAP payments to all recipients. However, it’s unlikely the 42 million Americans — about one in eight — will receive the money on their debit cards that quickly. “It is a tough situation, you know. And I think it’s totally unfair... the government shutdown is affecting people, human beings ... when you run out of butter, milk and eggs, that’s hard to get in a pantry,” said Brooks. The uncertainty and SNAP delays leave people like Brooks wondering where their next meal may come from. Or worse, fearing they will go hungry. In addition to herself, Brooks struggles to feed her cat. “I have a friend who orders cat food once in a while, and she sends some my way. If I make a piece of fish, I’ll share a little bit with him. He gets this treat and he loves it,” she said. Brooks spends 22 hours per week volunteering at Project Hospitality’s food pantry. This allows Brooks some social time, and to give back to the community that has been good to her. “I’ve been blessed a few times in my life. I want to bless others; I like helping people. Volunteering is a great way to do it, you know. Plus, it gives me a social experience. It gets me out of the house,” she said. Many Staten Islanders are food insecure Food insecurity and the negative health outcomes that stem from an innutritious diet are issues that impact thousands in all corners of the borough, but as is often the case, those struggling financially are disproportionately impacted. The Staten Island Advance/SILive.com analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau 2022 American Community Survey and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2023 PLACES: Local Data for Better Health finding that areas where a higher percentage of residents rely on government assistance to afford food have higher rates of various health conditions that stem from poor diet. Data from Staten Island reveals a clear correlation between economic hardship and chronic health conditions: ZIP codes with higher percentages of residents receiving SNAP benefits tend to have elevated rates of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
